Examples of research in use

Here are some things that could NOT have happened without people co-operating in research studies:

If residents living in areas of high bushfire risk in VictoriaÂ hadn’t taken part in a study about awareness of issues about bushfire, the state government wouldn’t have understood how under-prepared they were to deal with bushfire and would not have put practical measures in place to help those people in future.

If farmers in Victoria hadn’t taken part in a study on plant pests and diseases in the state, the state government and growing bodies would not have known how to communicate with, and educate, them so that farmers know how to identify, contain and eradicate such threats – protecting crops, the livelihood of farmers and the quality of life of all Australians.

If people hadn’t taken part in a crime incidence studyÂ where phone numbers were generated by an automatic number generator so that silent numbers were included as well, we would not know the actual incidence of crime, only the reported incidence. This would have meant that governments could not plan the right number of services to provide to the victims of crime and to crime enforcement and prevention agencies to reduce the effects of crimes in the first place.

If 2,000 people every year didn’t take part in the Australian Tax Office’s Community Perceptions Study,Â the ATO would not know how to make changes to the tax collection system to provide the necessary help and assistance to the public and accounting professionals.